Display device



C. E. BILTON DISPLAY DEVICE Aug. 28, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1931 c. E. BILTON 1,971,391

' DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR W A T?NE 1:

Aug. 28, 1934.

IIIIII;IlIII"ItIIIIIIIIIII;IIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Aug. 28, 1934 tensorDISPLAY DEVICE Clarence E. Bilton, Wocdhaven, N. Y., assignor, by mesneassignments, to Motion Displays line, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application December 16, 1931, Serial No. 58l,387

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display devices. One object ofthe invention is to provide a novel and attractive portable means fordisplaying articles of merchandise in windows and elsewhere. Anotherobject is the provision of a rotatable display device, the rotatingmovement thereof being periodic and intermittent. In other words, thedevice during rotation makes a fraction of a turn, then remainsstationary for an interval, and then continues its rotation. Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a turntable device whichoperates with little power, and is further provided with means forilluminating the objects to be dis- 5 played and additional means forplugging in merchandise electri ally operated to be displayed or forfurnishing additional illumination.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled inthe art from the following description taken with the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, althoughit is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exactdetails of construction shown and described, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occurto persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View showing the display device made inaccordance with this invention, part of the table and part of the glassof the tower being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section showing details of thedrive from the motor to the turntable, the mounting and support for theturntable and the method of extending the electrical connections throughthe central spindle to the display tower.

The invention is intended to be used to display merchandise in a mostattractive manner and consists generally in the provision of a portabledevice consisting of a'turntable and a central illuminating tower, orhollow casing, with means for supporting the turntable in a manner topermit it to revolve with little friction, and with mechanism fordriving the turntable to cause it to rotate for a quarter of a turn, tostand still for a period of time, and to rotate another fraction of aturn, so that merchandise to be disi played thereon may be moved toattract the eye and may remain stationary to permit its inspectionbefore a successive article is displayed. The turntable rotates about afixed central spindle upon a tripod support and is driven by an electricmotor and suitable gearing; connections being provided through thecentral spindle to an electric bulb or other electric illuminating meansassociated with the tower. There is provided a simple compact andportable construction for effecting the above objects.

Referring now, more particularly to the drawings, a base 10 is providedfor supporting the driving mechanism for a turntable 11 having anilluminated hollow casing or tower l2 thereon. On the base 10 the motor13 is resiliently sup- 5 ported by springs 14, which method of supporteliminates unnecessary vibration. The motor drives by a belt 15 a pulley16 on a wormshaft 1'7 journaled in a supporting element 18, whichelement forms, in conjunction with a second 0 supporting element 19 anintegral part of a mount or frame 20 for the turntable 11. Thesupporting elements 18 and 19 and hence the mount 20, are suitablysecured to the base 10 at 18 and 19 The wormshaft 17 is provided with aworm 17 which drives a gear 21 fixed on a shaft 22 journaled in abearing 23 in the frame 20. On the upper end of the shaft 22 is mounteda crank 24 having a pin 25 which engages with slots 26 in a drivenmember or Geneva wheel 27, fastened by screws or other suitable means tothe table 11, from which it is spaced by a washer 27 The mechanism justdescribed forms in effect the well known Geneva movement.

The turntable 11 is provided on its underside with a bearing plate 23having an integral central sleeve or bushing 29, the plate being securedto the table in any desired manner as by screws 39 or the like. Thesleeve 2%) is adapted to rotate about a central fixed spindle 31attached to the mount 20 by the bushing 31 The mount 20 is also providedwith three equi-distaiitly spaced upstanding bearing retaining bosses orsupports 32 adapted to support the weight of the table 11, thus reducingthe friction on the central spindle 31 to a minimum. The bearings inthese bosses may be of any desired type, although in practise it ispreferred to employ oil pads which will offer enough resistance toprevent the overrunning of the table 11 when the motor is stopped.

The central spindle 31 is in the form of a hollow sleeve having aninsulating core 33, through which extend conductors 34 and 35, attachedat their lower ends to binding posts 36. for the motor and illuminatinglights is supplied to these binding posts by conductors 37, and otherconductors 38 supply current from the binding posts through switch 39 tothe motor.

Conductor 34 is secured to a ring 40 attached to the upper end ofinsulating core 33, which ring is engaged by a brush 41 which conveyscurrent to the lamps 42 and 43 furnishing exterior and interiorillumination for the tower or casing 12. The conductor 35 has its upperend contacting a second brush 44 which completes the circuit through thelamps 42 and 43 as well as to supply current to sockets 45 near the baseof the tower. These sockets 45 may be used for plugging in additionallights for illumination or for use with merchandise to be displayedwhich is electrically operated. The tower 12 may be fitted withtransparent sides 46 and may be of any shape as desired. Thus it will beseen that when the display stand is connected to a source of electricalenergy the direct connection of the lights and plugs of the towertherewith supplies the latter continuously with electric current,whereas the operation of the electric motor may be controlled at will bymeans of the switch 39. In other words, if it should be desirable todisplay an electrically operated article or an article to beilluminated, without having the display stand rotate, this may beaccomplished by connecting the lead 37 to an electric socket and turningoff the switch 39.

From the above description it is believed that the construction andoperation of the device of the present invention will be fully apparentto those skilled in the art. The present device is simple, easy andinexpensive to manufacture. It is portable to permit placement thereofwhere desired and due to the specific arrangement of parts is compact.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a display device, a turntable adapted to be operated by meansincluding a Geneva movement, said turntable being formed with a centralopening, a bearing plate formed with a. central opening and secured tothe underside of the turntable, and a Geneva Wheel formed with a centralopening and secured to the bearing plate, the central openings of theturntable, bearing plate and Geneva wheel being in alinement with oneanother.

2. In a display device, a turntable adapted to be operated by meansincluding 2. Geneva movement, said turntable being formed with a centralopening, a bearing plate having a bushing formed integrally therewith,said bearing plate being secured to the underside of the turntable withthe bushing formed thereon entered in the central opening in theturntable, and 9. Geneva wheel formed with a central opening and securedto the bearing plate with said opening in alinement with the openingthrough the bushing.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the fact that theGeneva wheel is secured to the bearing plate in spaced relation thereto.

CLARENCE E. BILTON.

